Flour-mill



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Model PAULKNE FLOUR MILL.

I, lllFllu-alllllll lllllll I n Patented June 26, 1888.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-$heet 2.

J. J. PAULKNER.

FLOUR MILL. v No. 385,175. Patented June. 26, 1888.

UNTTED STATES PATENT QEETCE.

JAMES JONES FAUIiKNER, OF JACKSON, MICHIGAN.

FLOUR-MILL.

$PECIPICA.TION forming part of Letters Patent No. 385,175, dated June 26, 1888.

Application filed August 17, 1886. Serial No. 211,12 (No model.)

T0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES JONES FAULK- NEE, of Jackson, in the county of Jackson and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flour-Mills; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whlchit appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in pulverizing-mills, and more particularly to that class of mills in which a rotary beater is employed to pulverize the grain by striking t and throwing it into contact with an opposing surface.

The object is to provide a simple and inexpensive mill in which the grain or other material may be reduced to any degree of fine ness desired, and the degree of fineness regulated by an air inlet and exhaust.

With these ends in view my invention con sists in certain features of construction and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view of the mill in perspective. Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section, and Fig. 3 is a detached view, of the rotary beater. Fig. 4 represents a modified form of heater, and Fig. 5 is a longitudinal vertical central section.

A casing, A, of any suitable length, is supported upon legs a, or upon any convenient' support. The bottom of the casing A is rounded, as shown, and its sides gradually diverge as they extend upwardly. At a point at such a distance from the curved bottom of thecasing as may be found practicable the casing is narrowed by a plate, B, set at right angles, or nearly so, to the side. The width of the plate B, which may be conveniently termed the impact-plate, may be greater or less, as found expedient. The surface of the plate may be either smooth or corrugated.

From the upper edge of one of the sides of the casingA andfrom the inner edge of the impact-plate B extend the sides 0 of the airexhaust chamber 0, the top cof which is preferably set obliquely, as shown, thereby gradually increasing the size of the chamber from the end where the grain is fed toward the end where the flour is removed. In a plane between the planes of the beater and grain-feed,

and to one side of the impact-plate, are located the movable grate-bars D, which latter form the bottom of the chamber 0 and present more or less abrupt surfaces, against which the grain is forced at a greater or less angle, ac cording to their slant, thus pulverizing the grain accordingly. The gratebars D are preferablyof triangular form, and are capable of being adjusted so as to present a more or less abrupt surface to the rapidlymoving grain, as will hereinafter appear. The surfaces of the grate-bars are also preferably corrugated or roughened.

WVithin the casing A is journaled a rotary beater, E. The form of beater shown in connection with the casing, Fig. 2, is a hollow cylinder or drum either secured on a central shaft, F, or provided with trunnions. It is provided at the surface with a series of wings or heaters, c, which preferably have abrupt front faces corrugated or roughened,as shown. The number of wings or heaters 0 will naturally depend upon the size of the cylinderE and the rapidity with which it revolves. The cylinder is so located within the casing that the edges of the wings 6 travel near the rounded bottom of the casing, while the flaring sides, impact-plate, and arched series of grate-bars are farther removed from it.

At the end of the casing A over which the more contracted end of the exhaust-chamber islocated is the grain-feed G, preferablya funnel-shaped hopper adapted to conduct the grain through the grate-bars on the side of the casing opposite the impact-plate and in front of the wings on the cylinder.

On top and at the opposite end of the ex haust-chamber is located the exhaust-fan H, suitably housed in a casing, I, which opens into the exhaust-chamber G. A flour-conducting pipe, K, leads from the casingIto the flour-receptacle. (Not shown.) The shaft F or trunnions, as the case may be, extend through the said ends of the casing, and are provided at one end with a band-pulley, L, through which power is transmitted from an engine or other source to the rotary beater, and at the opposite end with a pulley, Z, which, through a band, on, is adapted to communicate motion to the fan-driving pulley M; or the pulley L might be located on the same projecting end of the shaft with the pulley Z.

The beater E is intended to be revolved at a tity to regulate the discharge, as may be revery high rate of speed, and the grain, drawn in or falling between the heaters, is struck and cracked thereby, and, being carried around by the wings, is hurled with great velocity against the impact-plate B and partially or completely pulverized thereby. The-partially pulverized grain and flour fall from the plate B, to be again struck by the beaters and hurled against the faces of the adjustable grate-bars D. In the meantime there is a constant draft of air through the exhaust chamber 0 and out through the flour-conducting pipe K,caused by the fan H. The force ofthe draft is regulated by means of one or more valves or dampers, N, lo-

ca'tedin the front endot' the casing,and iskept sufficiently strong to carry the flour, when reduced to the required degree of tineness,o ut of the exhaust-chamberandthrongh the pipeK to the flour-receptacle. The force of the draft is, however, not allowed to be strong enough to .carry the partially-reduced grain out with the flour, and such partially-reduced grain therefore falls back from the grate-bars and is further pulverized.

A convenient means for adjusting the gratebars would be to provide set-screws extending through the ends of the casing and impinging against their ends, or they might be connected and caused to move simultaneously by means of the operating-rod C, which latter extends through the casing. Their positions relatively to the flying grain and flour would naturally determine the rate of feed from the interior of the casing intothe exhaust-chamber Qand this adjustment, taken in connection with the regulation of the force of the draft,ad mits of grading the fineness of the flour to the nicest degree.

The modified form of beater represented in Fig. 4 consists, essentially, of a series of me tallic wingstwo or more--firmly secured to a central shaft by radial arms. By the employment of such modified form ofbeater I am enabled to effect a discharge of the finely-pulverized material through an opening, P, at the opposite end of the casing from the feed, and

am able to dispense with the air-exhaust. The air-inlet in this instance should be near the shaft at the end opposite from the discharge, and be admitted in a lesser or greater quanquired.

It is evident that many slight changes might be resorted to in the form and arrangement of the several parts described without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention; hence I do not wish to limit myself strictly to the construction herein set forth; but,

Having fullydescribed my invention,what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with a casing havinga grain-feed and a rotary beater located within the casing, of a series of adjustable grate-bars located in a plane between the planes of the beater and grai n-feed,substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with a casing and an exhaust-chamberinopen communication therewith, .of a rotary beater located within the easing below the exhaust-chamber, a series of adjustable grate-bars arranged in arched form above the heater, and a flour-conductingpipe connected with the exhaust-chamber,substan tially as set forth.

. 3. The combinatiomwith atapered exhaustchamber, a beatercasing, and a set of adj ustable grate-bars separating said chamber and easing, of a grain-feed at small end of the exhaust-chamber and an exhaust-fan at the large end of said exhaust-chamber, substantially as set forth.

4. The combinatiomwith a daring casing and the winged beaterjournaled therein,of the exhaust-chainber located above the beater, the exhaust-fan in open communication with the exhaustchamber, and the valves or dampers in the end of the casing for regulating the force of the draft, substantially as set forth.

5. In a pulverizing-mill, the combination, with one or more revolving beaters provided with corrugated or roughened surfaces, of an impact-plate and grate-bars located above the heaters and having corrugated or checked surfaces, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES JONES FAULKNER.

Witnesses:

ELI A. CLEMENT, GEORGE POWELL. 

